Thursday, March 05, 2009

In Which I Step Away From Reading...

Okay, so I just have to vent somewhere!

*Ahem*

To Whom it May Concern,

We live in a world of technology. We have computers, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this letter, the internet, cellphones, space shuttles, airplanes, cars, and the list goes on and on. We have the brain capacity, or at least someone does, to invent all of these modern miracles. Now, tell me this, with all of our technological advances, why have we not invented a type of pavement that stands up to Canadian winters? A lot of people in Canada have cars, so they must know that there is hardly a street that you can drive down that doesn't have pavement missing. Many roads it is the same pot holes year after year.

What is done about it? Well, at about the end of the summer they are 'patched'. This runs into the autumn. You know, we do have three seasons here: Almost winter, winter, and construction. The thing that drives me crazy about the construction season is that by the time the roads are 'fixed', it is winter again. And, do you know what happens? THE ROADS FALL APART! And, just when you think that's bad... We have SPRING and spring means MELTING, and you know what happens then? THE ROADS FALL APART! Obviously, the tried and tested methods are not working! Those patch jobs? One swipe with the snow plow and they are gone. So, why did you even bother to fix them in the first place?

I pay taxes. I have paid taxes my entire life. Now, when are we going to use the taxes that go towards 'roads' to actually do more than have a temporary fix. I am paying taxes to have the worst road in my entire village. You know why it is the worst road? Well, because you have done 'patch' jobs the entire time I have lived on it and the road has decided that it can't take it anymore. It needs NEW PAVEMENT! I know, that's an amazing idea... To actually do something that might last a year instead of a couple weeks. I do applaud your attempt to put dirt in the holes, though. That lasted a whole day because it SNOWED and the amazing contraptions called SNOW PLOWS pushed all the pretty dirt out of the holes. So, that dirt? Now residing on the side of the road.

And my road? There is a whole section of it GONE! It had been really bad for the entire winter, but the other night when we had the ice storms... The road collapsed. There was rain water and snow in the collapsed road, so you know what? You couldn't really tell how bad it was. I have taken to driving on the wrong side of the road (although, that is starting to give out too), or I would have lost my car. No word of lie. You are driving along and then the road is just gone and you can lose the whole front end of your car. So, what did you do about this problem? You put a bump sign... On the wrong side of the road... The funny thing is that a bump is a little tiny hole or a bit of uneven ground. I know, maybe you don't have a dictionary. It is just my experience that: a) The sign should be facing the right direction, b) should be in front of the 'bump', not halfway down the street, and c) IT IS NOT A BUMP! The road... it's gone... Talk about down-playing the situation!

So, I am very serious in saying that instead of spending tax dollars to hire teams to figure out why gas prices are so high, how about we take some of those tax dollars and fix the roads! I mean, pavement might work where it is hot and there are no snow plows, but we have snow. The snow plows, the freezing, and the thawing are torture on the roads. Add in the big trucks because we were intelligent Canadians and got rid of the boats, trains, and planes that used to carry things, and we have a mess. The really funny thing is that my road is used to transport snow from the malls to a large gravel pit. So, those trucks are just making the road worse. Any other road you would've closed to trucks, but, nope, it is more important for you to transport snow than for me to keep the front end of my car. Now, I ask you, since it is your laziness that has lead to my roads collapse, does that mean you are going to pay to fix my car?

Let me tell you. If something lasting is not done about my road this year, you are going to get more than a letter. There is really no need of it. My road has been bad for years and you have just ignored it. It is one of most used roads in the area, so you have to know that it gets a lot of wear and tear. It is about time it was fixed. I mean, especially since part of the problem is the fact that we just had to have a sidewalk and curbs... Which meant cutting into the pavement... And MORE big trucks! So, really, it is just cleaning up your mess...

Thanks for listening,

Sincerley,

Kelly

I highly doubt anyway read this entire thing, but my car is making a crazy noise and I think it has something to do with hitting one of the hundred pot holes on my street because you can't really avoid them anymore unless you go into oncoming traffic. Funny, I don't think insurance covers having a head on collision in order to avoid a pot hole...

11 comments:

  1. Well, of course we don't get even a fraction of your snow, as I said to you on my blog. *But* we've had more than usual this year and the result? Potholes. Loads of them all over the place. And our council does exactly what yours does... patches them up and five minutes later they're open again. Drives us nuts, so I understand your frustration.

    I didn't realise you were in Canada. We have a travel show currently showing with Billy Connolly travelling the Northwest Passage. It's fantastic and as it's Canada you ought to get it at some stage. Watch out for it.

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  2. Cath: Yeah, they really have not made a substance that can handle snow... I know when they built the new highway here they tested out a couple new substances, but I have never heard anymore about it...

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  3. So, when you get beyond the venting part, it's not a bad letter. My recommendation would be to remove some of the sarcasm (which is valid but won't get you listened to) and send it off to someone who might be able to do something. Get everyone on your street to sign it. It can't hurt and you might actually accomplish something.

    And, if you can get your mechanic to sign a statement that the damage was due to the condition of your road, you might be able to get them to pay for it.

    As for the venting, good job. It's completely understandable. We' get more than a far share of snow around here and pothole season is one of those things to be endured. Luckily, I live on a street that is well maintained because it's one of the main ambulance routes.

    cjh

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  4. How horrible! To have to live on a messed-up street! I hope they fix it soon.

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  5. CJ: Thanks! Maybe I should rewrite it and send it in... They obviously are aware of it. After I finished the post I went out and there is dirt in the hole. So, as long as we don't get any snow, at least there is a surface to drive on!

    Vasillis: Yeah, not fun! I don't imagine they can do much until the warm weather gets here. Several people I know have told me how my road is the worst road in the area, so I know I am not the only one that things the state of it is bad!

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  6. LOL!!!!!

    I don't know where to start:

    'You know, we do have three seasons here: Almost winter, winter, and construction.'

    'I do applaud your attempt to put dirt in the holes, though. That lasted a whole day'

    'I have taken to driving on the wrong side of the road (although, that is starting to give out too), or I would have lost my car. No word of lie.' *wiping tears away*

    For a minute, I thought I was over at the Comedy Plus blog. Kelly - I live on a bus route, and a huge section which was just repaved last summer is already cracked. They must be using amazingly craptacular surface material, because it doesn't last for even one season.

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  7. Julia: I am glad you enjoyed it! lol I think the pavement they use to 'fix' the roads is the old pavement that they scrape up when they repave roads. That's what someone told me, but I don't know if is true or not! I actually find my letter humourous myself... The road, though, not so funny!

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  8. I keep reading comments from you on many blogs I visit, so I came over to see you! I love the season description - we use that too in northern New England, not very far from the Canadian border. I love it. I've noticed that frost heaves happen earlier than they used to, and I bet it has something to do with the paving, or lack thereof. Patching seems to be the thing now.

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  9. Hi Nan! Thanks for stopping by. I will be sure to check out your blog because I don't think I have came across it before! Yep, patching is the only real method I ever see. There is something wrong, though, when they repave the roads and they still manage to fall apart within a year. It really looks like they are just using cheaper material...

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  10. Hahaha That was awesome! You should send that in to the "Rant Like Rick Mercer" contest. Sorry to hear about the weird car sound though :( We lost a chrome rim this year to a pothole, and sometimes I think it would be better to live on a dirt road.

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  11. Joanne: I hear you on the dirt road! Every time they try to do a temporary fix to my road it rains or snows. So, even with the spring coming, it will be probably the summer before they pave it and then it will be almost time for the snow to ruin it again!

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